蠧
worm-eaten
Strokes22
Readings
On'yomi
- ト
Kun'yomi
- きくいむし
Meaning
蠧 centers on the idea of being eaten away by worms or insects, describing something worm-eaten or damaged by boring pests.
Most common words using 蠧
- 蠧毒とどく
insect damage (to crops, clothing, etc.)
Study
Etymology
蠧 combines 虫 (insect) with a phonetic component derived from 橐, suggesting an insect that bores into and eats away material. The modern form is complex and its exact historical development is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The bottom is 虫 (insect), and the upper part looks like a container (士 over 冖) with a stone (石) inside. Imagine a stone box full of worms eating through everything until it's worm-eaten.
Reading mnemonic
For ト, picture a toe being nibbled by a worm: toe -> ト, and the worm-eaten toe matches the kanji's meaning.